Blank-carrying mechanism for box-folding machines



Feb. 6, 1923.

L. E. LA BOMBARD ET AL BLANK CARRYING MECHANISM FOR BUX FOLDING MACHiNES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FILED SEPT 30, 1920 Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,344

L. E. LA BOMBARD ET AL BLANK CARRYING MECHANISM FOR BOX FOLDING MACHINES F| LED SEPT 30 1 920 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 g l ,h- 4 441 MIIILIM 4 illll-ilfll J L J 41mm MU] Min-nu II! EHEIM] mun-mu lillllllllll w A 7 TUNA/E Patented Feb. 6, H923.

BLANK-CARRYING MECHANISM FOR BOX-FOLDING: MACHINES.

Application filed September 80, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that we, LEON BARD and MELVIN H. SIDEBOTHAM, cltlzens of the United 5 sea, in the co assachusetts, and useful Improvements ing Mechanism for Box-F of which the following is This invention relates 1s being conv ward completed.

he inventio have invented such oard blanks into useful as boxes, or envelo larly to th the materi pes, and re E. L4 B6...

States, and residents of Chelunty of Suffolk and State of certain new in Blank-Carryolding Machines, a specification.

to machines for as paper or articles such fers particue means for ensuring progress of al through the machine while it erted from flat form to or tothe form which it is to have when n has been designed for use oox folding machines of the tory. Such a machine, for example, is illustrated granted Jul Leon E.

ombard. In

this type the blanks are passed machine while su belt. It is important that the not slip or turn askew while on belt for if they of the machine were to do so spoiled. Some machines relied or bars to hold the devices were stationary the fric them and the uppe blanks prevented the blanks. Then, as in the upper belts travellin with the lower or employed to hold the blanks in the lower belt or belts. Such are not always satisfactory for sons among which are th lack of durability, and their lia and fail to travel at a s the speed of travel of the and carrying belt or belts.

he principal object of the present invention is to and practical No. y 20, 1920 upon an application La B pported upon blanks down,

machines of through the a carryin blanks shall the carrying the product would be imperfect or upon fingers but as those tion between r surfaces of the moving accurate forwarding patent referred g synchronously carrier belt or belts were contact with upper belts several rea e1r expense, their bility to slip peed uniform with lower supporting provide economical, durable,

means for ensur ing accurate travel of sheetmaterial that J erial no. 413341.

is supported by a carrying belt or belts, and that will keep the trol to With shipand tinuously vanced through the the above tant feature of the combination with belts of a series of ranged in staggered sheet material under perfect conprevent it from turning askew or hltchmg during its travel.

object in view an imporinvention consists in the one or more carrying idly mounted rolls aror overlapping relationsupported in position to bear conon the sheet material which is ad belts, even when such material is in the form of the smallest sizes 0 ensure of the blanks of box blanks. accurate and uniform travel it is essential that there shall be no release of absolute control of an blank at ing operation. We attain mounting each individual that it will any time or point during the foldthis object by so roll of the series bearwith yielding pressure on the blanks below it.

' pressing or holding belts are folding machines having upper used to operate on blanks of heavy or stilf material, the folding instrumentalities sometimes act to shift the blanks laterally because do not present with-stand sections of folders.

vention Wihch such late 1n the provision the lower ends of which resent a straight blanks are broken and the said arms or strips having idly mounted rolls which bear on the blanksclose to said crease lines.

The above and other features of the invention will be described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

f the Figure elevation of accompanying drawings: s 1 and 2 are, respectively, a s1de and a perspective view of so much a box folding machine containing our present improvements as are necessary to illustrate Figure trating h the invention. 3 is a detail perspectlve view illusow the roll units are hung.

machine by said belt or the upper belts Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of some of the rolls illustrating their staggered relationship.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of one roll and its anti-friction mounting, on lines 5-5 of Figure 1, on a larger scale.

Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating a preferred relative arrangement of all rolls so as to dispense with all upper presser or car rying belts, blanks undergoing folding operations being indicated by dotted rectangles.

Figures 7 to 12 are sectional views on lines of Figure 6 indicated by the numerals 7 to 12.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a creased blank with a diagrammatic illustration of howthe staggered rolls bear upon it at the beginning of the folding operation.

A ortion of the frame of a box folding machine is illustrated at 12, said machine having suitable pulleys and driving mechanism for one or more blank-supporting or carrier belts. In the present drawings we illustrate two such belts at 13 and 14. Preferably said belts are positively driven by mechanism which ensures their travel at constant uniform surface speeds regardless of wear of the belts, which mechanism may be such'as described and claimed in our application filed May 10, 1920, Serial No. 380326. As is usual in box folding machines havin two blank-carrying belts, the belts 13 an 14 are laterally adjustable to provide for folding blanks of varying widths. Such structure being well known it is not neces- 'sary to illustrate means for effecting the adjustment.

Mounted and laterally adjustable on twocross bars 15 of the frame are two castings or brackets 16 each having ears 17 through which screw-threaded studs 18 pass vertically. Nuts 19 on the studs above and below the ears 17 provide for securing each stud in'desired vertical position. In other words each stud can be independently adjusted vertically and held in its adjusted position.

Rigidly secured to the lower ends of the front and rear studs of each bracket 16 is a "plate 20. the connection being of any preferred kind such as screws 21 passed from below up through holes in the plate 20 and into the lower ends of the studs.

By means of screws 22 and set nuts 23 longitudinal bars 24 are secured to the under sides of the plates 20. In the machine illustrated, the plate 20 which is above belt 14 carries one bar 24 while the plate 20 which is above the other belt 13 carries two bars 24, one longer than the other for a reason which will he described herein-after in connection with Figures 6 to 12.

The upper -edge of each bar 24 is formed or provided with a series of notches 25 (Fig.

3) and each notch receives a cross pin or rivet 27 which connects the upper ends of two thin strips 26, the latter being also connected, at a lower point, by a cross ledge 28betw'een which and the lower end of a screw 22 (Fig. 1) atspring 29 is confined.

Mounted in the lower end of each pair of strips 26 is a roll 30 in position to bear on a blank borne by the belts 13, 14. For reasons hereinafter explained it is essential that the rolls 30 shall revolve with the utmost freedom and that they shall be of compact construction and also present their lower periaheral portions closeto the lower edges of the stri s 26. As best shown n Figure 5, each r01 consists of' a ring internal grooved to form a. racewayfor ba11s 31 which ride on a hub composed oftwo disks 32 having laterally bevelled peripheries facing each other to form an annular track for the balls. The two disks 32 are ofa thickness to just fit the space between the lower ends of two strips 26 and are clamped together and to said strips by rivets 33. The disks 32 at their larger diameters are but slightly smaller than the side openmgsm the ring or roll30 so that the circular side crevices will be as narrow as possible and yet avoid friction between the fixed disks and the idle roll or ring 30. This structure is not only strong, compact and durable but it effectually excludes dust which is an important feature in the present invention. If dirt could and did accumulate in the raceway it would interfere with the rotation of the roll 30 and tend to cause blanks to turn askew since the blanks are advanced only by the friction of the belt or belts below the rolls. The structure is such that the antifriction mounting of the rolls is maintained at all times. All of the parts (which be sides the rivet and balls are but three in number) are capable of being machined and therefore the structure is an economical one.

The simple heading up of the rivet 33 clamps all of the members. of the roll and its bearing together.

The rivets 27, 33, rigidly connect the two strips 26 which constitute a frame or arm for the blank-pressing roll 30. each frame or arm and its roll constituting an independent unit which may be readily hung from a bar 24 when the latter is disconnected from its supporting plate 20, or removed from said bar. It is easy to assem-v ble the units in absolutely correct positions because they can be simply slipped onto the bars 24 and their rivets 27 dropped into the notches of the bars 24, and because the strips 26 are so spaced as-to closely fit the sides of the bars. They are then swung up until their ledges 28 engage the springs 29 and the bars are then connected to the plates 20.

in movement. of the swinging on '30 to permit the rolls to reach a low position the strips can be economically cut from stock Without waste, the tips of the upper acute-angled ends can be and are located so close of the plate 20 '(Fig. 1) as to limit downward swinging movement of the units and their rolls, feature) their lower edges'can be and are so relatively located as to furnish a practically continuous folding line. In the operation of the machine as hereinafter described in connection with Figs. 6 to 13, the bodies of'the blanks are held firmly on the travelling belts 13, 14, while marginal or flap portions of the blanks are turned up or broken on crease lines close to the lower edges of the right and left hand line of strips 26.

e reason for limiting downward swingroll units is that the be ts 13, 14, may not always be in posi-' tion close to and under the rolls 30. A belt may be out of position when repairs are being made or when lateral adjustments are being efiected as is customary with most modern machines of this character. If a belt 13 or 14 is so far to one side as to be out of position to support the rolls 30, the upper rear tips of the strips 26, by contacttheir pivots 27, 25 far enough that would interfere with easy lateral restoration of the belt to its proper position.

In machines of this general type which cause blanks to travel with one or more belts by being kept firmly in contact therewith, the blanks are folded crease line and then on another parallel crease line, while traveling. So far as concerns the features of invention claimed herein, the folding instrumentalities may be of any well known approve-d character. In Figures 6 to 12, which are included chiefly to illustrate the reason for the staggeredv relationship of the rolls 30 of the three series, we indicate folding instrumentalities only conventionally. Said instrumentalities as indicated comprise twisted belts 34, 35 and blank guiding blades or. shoes 36, 37, in alinementwith two of the series of rolls 30. We do not illustrate means. for driving the belts 3 1, 35, or for guiding their. operative stretches in the proper paths, or detail sup ports for the members 36, 37, as such are wellv known and illustrated in a number of Letters Patent.

The members 36, 37 may be similar to the members which serve the same purpose in the machine illustrated in our application Serial N 0. 380326 hereinbefore referred to, one of said members having tapering rolls as'claimed in that application.

. By means of the studs18 and nuts 19 each plate 20 can be adjusted accurately sons to cause its roll units to coact properly with the travelling blank support. That is, each and (an important plate 20, prevent the units from first on one small as 2 rated at the lower part lplate can be adjusted vertically and can also e slightly tilted endwise to cause the rolls at the far end thereof and the blade or shoe, which is secured thereto to be in correct posi tion relatively to the travelling support.

Commercially successful box folding machines are required to correctly operate on blanks of widely different shapes and sizes. Those of the smallest sizes are the ones which are the most difiicult to pass through the machine without their turning askew. The tendency to turn askew occurs chiefly during the first step of foldingthe first breaking of the blanks on their crease lines. hen stationary bars have been used to hold the blanks down, the blanks and such bars tends to cause twisting. of the blanks. And upper belts for holding purposes have not always been satisfactory for the reasons hereinbefore explained. Bv

yieldingly mounted and by making them small enough and so mounting them in staggered relationship that even the smallest blanks will always be borne upon by a plurality of rolls, pressure is always maintained at a sufiicient number of points to ensure correct travel of the blanks on and with the lower belt or belts. By staggered relationship we mean the relative mounting of the rolls 30 with the axes of therolls of one series out of alinement with the axes of the rolls of the next parallel series as indicated by comparing Figures 2, 4, 6 and 13. In Figurest and 13 the axes of therolls are indicated by dot and dash lines.

If it be assumed that Figure 4 represents the rolls 30 as of full size, and that those of each row or series carried by a bar 24 are closely spaced as shown, then any blank as inches length, which is about the smallest size ever used, will be pressed on the belts 13, 1a, by the simultaneous action of fiye or six rolls 30. It is to be understood of course that the bear on the blanks are directly under the dot and dash axial lines in Figure 4. When longer-blanks are being operated upon, a greater number of rolls bear upon it (Fig. 13)..

Figures 4 and 13 represent a preferred number and grouping of the rolls30 at that end of the machine which first takes control of blanks suppliedby the feeder (not shown).-' Said end of the machine is incliis here that the It is for the above reason,.viz: prevention of tendency of a blank to turn askew as the result of the first breaking operation,

- s closely arranged blank of such form as in that we provide a plurality of pressure rolls 30 in staggered relationship bearing upon the one single belt 13. By this arrangement the blanks are held firmly while travelling so that they can not swing or turn askew even if the other belt 14 should happen to slip and travel at a speed different from the speed of belt 13.

The blanks such as A in Fig. 13 are longitudinally creased on four lines a b c d to cause them to consist of panels or sections e f g h z. The machine folds only on the lines Z1 and (1. At first each blank is under full control as indicated in Figs. 4 and 13, the lower part of Figure 6 and Figure 7, be cause the rolls of three rows bear upon it. As it proceeds, the left hand folders 34 turn the panels 6 f up, breaking the blank on line b (Fig. 13), same control until the panel f is turned substantially upright and the crease line I) fully broken. It is then in such condition that the blade or shoe 36 and the rolls of two rows will control it (Figs. 8 and 9). After passing the position indicated in Figure 9 the folder 35 begins to turn up the panel 2' and break the blank on crease line d (Figs. 10, lesser number of rolls 30 are needed to bear on the blank because the blades or shoes 36, 37 aided by the pressure of the belt 34 when in the positions'indicated in Figs. 11 and 12, so guide the blanks that they can not turn askew.

It will be understood that in the operation of the machine as indicated in Figs. 6 to 13, the belt or belts 13, 14, constitute a travelling support for the blanks each of which, during the folding, is under the controlof first threerows of rolls, then two-rows, and

then one row, and that during all this time each blank will be under the control of a plurality of rolls even when somewhat less than two inches long. This is when the rolls are of substantially one inch diameter and that their peripheries only just clear each other.

A particular advantage in the use of this machine is that unless the blanks are exceptional as to relative proportions of their panels it is possible to fold the panels 0 f completely into contact with panels 9 hwhile the blanks are still under the control of a number of rolls. For example, Figure 13 shows a common form of blank. The width from the edge of panel 6 to line b is less than from line b to the sides of the intermediate row of rolls and still less than the distance to the sides of the longer or right hand row of rolls. Therefore any Figure 7 can be folded'even to the condition shown in Figures 10 and 11 while the rolls of one or two rows are still bearing on panels h i. The actual relative point at which the fold on and it is still under the 11 and 13) after which a line b is completed depends upon the longitudinal point of the machine at which the folder belt 34 is completely deflected inwardly. We do not show the deflecting means as the same may be of any well known and commonly used adjustable type.

rows of rolls.

2. In a machine of the character described, a single travelling support for blanks, and a series of pressure rolls mounted to bear on said support at points in staggered relationship.

3. In a machine of the character described, a blank carrying belt, and a series of pressure rolls in positions to bear on the belt at points in staggered relationship, said belt being wider than the lateral space occupied by said. staggered rolls.

4. In a machine of a single blank carrying belt, and a series of yieldingly mounted pressure rolls in positions for all to bear on the one belt at points in staggered relationship.

5. In a machine of the character described a single blank carrying belt, and a series of anti-frictionally mounted pressure rolls in pos'tions for all to bear on the one belt at points in staggered relationship.

6. In a machine of the character described a single blank carrying belt, and a series of yieldin-gly and anti-frictionally mounted pressure rolls in positions for all to bear on the one belt at points in staggered relationshi 7 In a machine of the character described, a travelling support, means for folding blanks thereon to bring difierent lateral areas of the blanks into flat superplosed relationship, and a plurality of independently yielding pressure rolls in position to successively bear on the blanks until said flat relationship is reached.

8. In a machine of the character dethe said support.

the character describedscribed, a single travelling support, means relationship is reached, said rolls being laterally spaced at distances to enable all to bear on the single travelling support.

9. A foldingmachine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said belts, and small antifrictionally mounted and independently yieldable pressure rolls of uniformdiameter above both belts for ensuring uniform travel of the blanks with the belts.

10. A folding machine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said belts, and small antifrictionally mounted and independently yieldable pressure rolls of uniform diameter above both'belts for ensuring uniform travel of the blanks with the belts, the axes of said rolls being out of alinement with each other.

11. A folding machine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, folding instrumental? ties for blanks on said belts,and a plurality of rows of small independently yieldable pressure rolls above said belts.

'12. A folding machine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said belts, a single row of pressure rolls above one belt and two rows of pressure rolls above the other belt, said rolls being independently yieldable.

13. A folding machine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said belts, and three rows of independently yieldable upper pressers in position to hold the blanks under control at three lateral positions.

' 14. A folding machine having a travelling carrier, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said carrier, a. row of independently yieldable pressure rolls above the carrier, and guiding means to define the line on which the blanks are folded.

15. A folding machine having a travelling carrier, folding instrumentalities for blanks on said carrier, a row of pressure rolls above the carrier, each of said rolls being independently yieldable, and guiding means to define the line on which the blanks are folded.

16. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, means for adjusting said bar toward and from the belt, and independently yieldable rolls carried by said bar.

17. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, rolls yieldingly connected with said bar, and means for varying the height of the bar.

18. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, and a' series of units each comprising a frame yieldingly connected with said bar and having a roll in position tofbear directly upon blanks carried by the belt.

19. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said series of roll-carrying units pivotally connected with the bar. 1

20. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, and a series of roll-carrying units each being pivotally connected with the bar and having carrier, and

belt, and a b carrying arms means for independently adjusting the degree of pressureexerted by it onblanks carried by the belt;

21. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, and a series of inclined roll carriers pivotally connected with the bar.

22. A folding machine having a blankcarrying belt, a bar above said belt, and a series of inclined roll carriers pivotally connected with the bar, means being provided fOIi limiting downward movement of the rol s.

23. A folding machine having a blankcarrier, a longitudinal series ing arms yieldingly supported above said carrier, means for varying the relative lateral positions of said carrier and arms, and means for preventing excessive movement of the rolls past the carrier if temporarily at one side thereof.

wardly and forwardly inclined arms pivotally supported above the carrier and having rolls at their lower ends.

25. A folding machine having a blankwardly and ally supported above the carrier and having rolls at theinlower ends, means being provided for limiting downward swinging a series of inclined arms having pivot portions engaging the notches of the bar' and having rolls at their lower ends.

28. A folding carrier and a longitudinal series of rollroll is mounted. o

29. A folding machine having a blankcarrier, a plate rigidly supported above the carrying arms pivotally mounted below the each of said arms comprising a pair 0 rhomboid-shaped. strips between which a roll is mounted, the upper tips of said strips eing adapted to coact with the under surface of the plate to determine the lowermost positions to which the arms and their. rolls can swing.

30. A folding machine having a blankcarrier and a longitudinal series-of rollpivotally mounted above the machine having a blank-' and a longitudinal series of rollcarrier, the said arms having lower edge portions in alinement and having rolls closely beside said edge portions.

31. A folding machine having a pair of blank-carrier belts, a row of pressure rolls above one belt, and two rows of pressure rolls above the other belt, the three rows being of different lengths and the axes of the rolls being out of alinement.

32. A machine of the character described having a blank-carrying belt, folding instrumentalities for operating upon blanks forwarded by said belt, and a row of yieldingly mounted pressure rolls having exposed lower portions to bear directly on said belt or on blanks carried thereby, said rolls being relatively mounted to ensure constant contact of each of them with either the belt or a blank. In testimony whereof We have affixed our signatures.

LEON E. LA BOMBARD. MELVIN H. SIDEBOTHAM. 

